The Latest: Kosovo speaker says vote offers 'new beginning'

PRISTINA, Kosovo – The Latest on the no-confidence vote on Kosovo's government (all times local):

4:13 p.m.

The speaker of Kosovo's parliament is supporting the collapse of the country's Cabinet in which his political party was a partner.

Kadri Veseli posted a tweet after the government lost a no-confidence vote on Wednesday that the country needs a new beginning.

Veseli says the 78-34 vote "is needed for Kosovo to open exciting new chapters of our history."

The vote sets the scene for an early election, about a year before it was due. The president is expected to set an election date within 30-45 days.

It also revealed disagreements between Veseli's Democratic Party of Kosovo and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa's Democratic League of Kosovo.

Each currently holds 69 seats in the 120-member parliament.

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2:43 p.m.

Kosovo's government has lost a no-confidence vote, setting up the possibility of an early election.

Prime Minister Isa Mustafa's government lost in a 78-34 vote Wednesday, with three abstentions. Opposition parties had blamed his Cabinet for being unable to carry out its program and pass important laws.

The government had been hobbled by its inability to secure a majority in parliament over a border demarcation deal with neighboring Montenegro, despite pressure from the U.S. government.

The government hasn't had enough lawmakers to pass the deal, which was signed in 2015, and Mustafa withdrew the draft bill last year. The opposition has claimed that Kosovo would lose territory under the deal, an accusation denied by the government and local and international experts.